First, I would like to express my sympathy to you and your countrymen for the bombing of the World Trade Center which caused the American people great sorrow in the loss of many lives. Indeed, perpetrators of this crime should be made to pay for this dastardly act.

I believe that your country is presently contemplating a war against Iraq because it possesses weapons that can be used for mass destruction. You do not like other countries to experience what America did when those airplanes crashed and destroyed the World Trade Center. Indeed, weapons at the hands of terrorists and the power hungry could do much havoc to destroy world peace. I do understand your motive in wanting to wage war against Iraq that of disabling it to having weapons of mass destruction. Many countries including the Philippines will be adversely affected by this. You may therefore want to review the following considerations before you finalize your action.

A U.S. war with Iraq might bring other Muslim countries to the aid of Iraq. Religion binds Muslim countries thus, an attack against one of them may galvanize others to help Iraq. Since most of the world’s oil are produced by Muslim countries, a U.S. war against Iraq might move the Muslim countries to retaliate by withholding the supply of oil to other countries thus, an increase in the prices of oil in the world market. The Philippines depends heavily on imported oil. Hampering the supply of oil and the increase of its price would surely affect the livelihood of Filipinos. Also, Mr. President, the escalating tension in the Middle East especially in Iraq might forcefully repatriate Filipino Overseas Workers from whom large amounts of dollar remittances come from. These dollars are essentially needed by the Philippines in order to maintain its economy and service its debts to other countries especially yours.

Lastly, Mr. President, I am an advocate of world peace. I always dream of a peaceful world where countries live in perfect harmony with each other. I hope that you find other means of sanctioning Iraq to comply with the demands of the United Nations rather that resorting to aggression through war.

More power to you and I wish you luck in your presidency. God Bless!!!

Respecfully yours,

Francis Joseph Landicho,

University of the Philippines

The date posted here is due to our website rebuild, it does not reflect the original date this article was posted. This article was originally posted in Yonip in 2002